If you’re a beginner, you might want to try The Houston Striders on for size. The Striders enjoy taking care of their health and helping others. They run for non-profit organizations all around Houston. Another running club with philanthropic interest is Brian O’Neill’s Running Club. The club also gives away prizes based on the amount of runs you complete and even gives away free beer to its running club members! If you want a running community that’s tight-knit and caring, try a club like the The Bayou City Road Runners, who usually get together for brunch after their run.

Are you more serious about training? Try the 5K runs at The City Centre Running Club. Or, if you want to receive specialized training from highly-qualified coaches, join the In Flight Running Club. Whatever your running level, there’s a running club that will work for where you are and where you want to be.

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First, remember to rest. It’s so important! Make sure you get in an extra nap or two so your muscles can work faster at repairing themselves. Take an anti-inflammatory drug like Advil, Motrin or Aleve to help alleviate your pain as you rest. If you’re still experiencing extreme pain, stretch to release the lactic acid in your muscles. If you massage your muscles well, you’ll reduce the inflammation in your muscle fibers.

As with other leg pain, applying a cold pack to your muscles and then alternating it with hot showers will help reduce pain. To restore your muscles, make sure to eat plenty of high protein snacks like a piece of turkey or a healthy portion of almonds. Muscles work best when they’re well-fed! Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day to help them heal even faster.

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During Houston’s hottest months, hydrate even when you don’t feel thirsty. If you feel thirsty, it means your body is already dehydrated! Work out early in the morning or in the evening as the sun is going down. Never work out at mid-day or you’ll run the risk of getting heat stroke. If you enjoy exercising outside, make sure your gym bag is packed with a couple of bottles of water, bug spray, and a sunscreen with a high SPF.

If you have kids, you may already be working out more than you realize. Soccer, the trampoline, and swimming are all kid-friendly activities that can help you get the exercise you need without feeling obligated to take time out of your busy schedule. If you really can’t stand the heat, take the kids inside and try having a spontaneous dance session or teaching them how to do yoga with an at-home DVD. As long as you’re moving, you’re getting the right kind of workout for summer.

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